Fire-extinguisher.



H. M. McCASLIN.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12. I916.

Patented June 19, 1917.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY M. MGCASLIN,OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN LA FRANCE FIRE ENGINE COMPANY, INC., OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 19, 1917.

Application filed April 12, 1916. Serial No. 90,688.

guishers, of which the following is a full and clear specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in fire extinguishers of the portable or hand type, in which a fire extinguishing fluid, such as carbon tetra chlorid, is carried in a suitable tank or container provided with a hand-operated pump, which causes the fluid to be projected through the discharge nozzle of the container in a thin stream, which can be conveniently directed upon a fire. v

This type of extinguisher is usually pro vided with means for maintaining communication between the discharge nozzle and the lowest part of the tank or container, whatever position the tank may be held in, said means being connected with the nozzle either directly or through the pump, so as to permit the discharge of the entire contents of the tank or container in anydesired direction.

In carrying out the invention of the present application I have mounted upon the fluid container of a portable fire extinguisher a double acting hand operated rotary pump, arranged between the container and the discharge nozzle, so as to elfectively project a stream of extinguishing liquid by a simple and continuous operation. An automatic valve controls .the communication between the container and the pump, and means are provided for opening and closing said valve by the operation of the hand lever, with the result that when the extinguisher is not in use the valve will be held in closed position and when placed in operation the simple act of rotating the operating crank will open the valve for placing the pump in communication with the container. The rotary pump is reversible. so that it may be operated by rotating to either the right or left, according to the convenience of the operator.- In reversing the action of. the pump from right to left the controlling valve is automatically \lXli iOCl for opening up communication bctween the container and the pump through proper channels to suit the reversal of opera :on

This reversal of the controlling valve being automatic it will be understood inop-. erating the extinguisher the operator can first rotate the pump in one direction and then, if tiring of that motion, can immedi ately reverse the direction of operation without concern as to the adjustment of any of the auxiliary parts. In addition to the automatic control of the valve referred to. suitable means are. provided for locking the operative parts of the machine against motion when it is out of use.

1 In order that the invention may be fully understood I will first describe the same with reference to the accompanying .draw

ings and afterward point out the novelty more particularly in the annexed claims.

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a fire extinguisher having my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the extinguisher head and pump removed from the container, the view being taken at right angle to that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the operating crank with its retaining lock and means for operating the controlling valve;

Fig- 4 is a detail sectional view of the valved air relief port with reversible controlling valve.

'In the drawing. 1 is an extinguisher tank or container designed to carry a suitable quantity of extinguishing liquid, such as carbon tetra chlorid. This tank 1 is formed with a cast head 2. fitted and secured upon the tank and carrying the pump mechanism hereinafter referred to. l

5 is the liquid discharging tube supported within the tank 1 parallel with its long axis and having its opposite ends 6 in open communication with the container adjacent to its ends. 7 and 9 are valved disks mounted upon and connected by. a rod or wire 9 extending through the discl'iarging tube 5 and so arranged that when one of said valved disks is in closed position the other is-held in open position. These connected valves 7 and 8 operate by gravity in a manner well understood in the art.

The discharging tube 5 is supported upon arms which are journaled in the longitudin.-:;l"central axis of the container 1, so, that tube 5 can rotate freely in the container and always take a position in the lowermost side of the container. no matter what position the extinguisher is held One of the support til arms of the tube 3 is a curved solid arm 12 embracing the tube at one end and 'tormcd with a hearing stud 13 at its other end, which is freelv journaled in the hearing 1% inte and with or otherwise secured to the bottom end of the extinguisher tank 1. The support For the other end of the tube is a tubula arm 16 embracing and secured to the end of the tube 5 at one end and termed with a tubular hearing stud 17, jonrnaled in the bearing boss 18, n'ojecting inwardly from the head 2. The tubular arm ltl is in open communication with tube 5 through the port 1 and with the dischargingport 20 leading up centrallv through the head 2 into the pump casing,

l ormed integral witln or otherwise properly secured to the head is a pump casing 35, embracing the two-part pump chamber ill, the discharge nozzle and the ports and passages leading to and from the pump chamber. as will now be described. and 31 are the rotors of a double acting geared rotarv pump, said rotors being mounted upon short shafts 32 and 33, which are suitably journaled in bearings 34, 35 of the easing 2 and 3G, 37 ot' the removable face plate 35-1. The rotors 30 and 31 intermesh With each other and rotate within the usual seg mental abutments 39 and 40, formed at; opposite ends of the pump chamber 26.

The crank handle is suitably secured to the shaft 32 of rotor 30. said crank 50 having a handle 51. pivoted in a bifi'ircated end oi the crank, as indicated at 52, and formed with recesses 53, in its heel, for the engagement of latch 54, shown in the form ot a ball mounted in the recess 50 of crank Fill. and engaged by the confined spiral spring 55. which holds the ball latch in en gagemcnt with one otthe notches for retaining handle .31. in either operative or inoperative position. The operative position of the handle is at right angles to the main portion ot the crank 50, as shown in full lines in Fig. The inoperative position of the handle shown in dotted lines in Fig. in which position it is in line with and forum an extension of the main arm of crank 50 and re ts between the integral lugs 56 upon the rdgje it head :2 tor holding the parts against movement the machine is not in use.

The di: inn" port, 30 leading from the routaiiwr into the circular valve chair i r tilt. tron; which the passageways 61 l ontwardl; and communicate 73.- upon opposite side he 1f to act as inlet p L rated in the valve chamber plug: or,

said "115.

tilt is a ports ift tuning the twouvav the thschar t mnieation posite sides of pump chamber 26 into the discharge passages 72 and 73 which converge and lead into the common valve chant ber Tlwhich is in direct communication with the discharge nozzle 75. The plug 7t closes one side of the valve chamber 74 and is formed with a port 77 leading through it and completing the communication between passage wa 73 and valve chamber 74.. The inner end of the plug '76 is formed with a valve seat to receive the ball check valve 78. A similar ball check valve 79 is seated in the inner end of passageway 72, and compression spring 80 is arranged between the balls 78 and '7!) to ,'ieldingly holdthem to their seats and allow one or the other to intermittently move oft of its seat to permit the passsa of liquid being discharged by the pump through the valve chamber into the nozzle.

In the ilorination of the. interconnnunicating passages and ports 6163, 626-l-, TO E and T1 73. above referred to, large recesses indicated at R are first drilled at the proper angles into the thickened side Walls of the pump casing and the ports and passages referred to are then drilled from said recesses R to intercommunicate. as shown, through said recesses R. The outer ends of recesses R are then closed by plugs shown at I having flattened inner ends. The triangular representations in Fig. 1 are the inner conical ends of the recesses R.

Returning to the two-Way controlling valve in the chamber it will be observed that the conical valve plug has a stop lug (35 operating in a recess 65 to determine the limits oi? the shifted positions of the valve. (totals a valve stem extending out from Valve plug (55 toward the crank handle 50 of the rotary pump. Secured upon the end of this valve stem 65 are two spaced leaf springs so ext-ending at a right angle to the. axis of the valve 65 and of such length that they pass within the hub portion of crank 50 which is mounted upon the shaft 82. The outer ends of these, leaf springs 85, 86 are curved slightl away from each other to term an expanded throat tor the reception of the actuating pin which is carried by the crank as will prestmtly expiaine l. The springs and 86 are faced and strengthened upon their miter faces by rigid metal strips 87 8 the springs and strips being rigidly fastened in place upon the suitably shaped head or enlargement of the stem 65' As shown in the drawing there parts are scniunication from air inlet port 91 into the container through port 91. One face of the valve plug,indicated at 65 is adapted to close port 9% when the valve 65 is in its central closed position but permits communication through the port 9t when the valve is shifted to either of its operating positions. A ball check valve 95 prevents any outflow of liquid from the container through port 9%.

The crank handle 50 carries an inwardly presented pin 100, which in the normal position of rest of the parts would be seated in the channel formed between spring members 85 and 86, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. In this position of the parts the two-way valve 65 is in its intermediate closed position, so that the passage way 20 is closed and the air inlet port 94 is also closed. When it is desired to use the ex tinguisher the operator holds the container in the most convenient position, releases the crank handle by moving the handle 51 outwardly into the position represented in full lines in Fig. 2 and immediately turns the crank in the most con venient direction, with the result that the first turn of the crank will shift the valve 65 by reason of the engagement of pin 100 with springs 85, 86, thereby opening up the communication between the container and the pump chamber 26. The liquid is drawn from the container, forced out throughthe nozzle 7 5 in the desired direction and at every revolution of the crank 50, the pin 100 snaps past the curved outer end of one of the springs 85 or 86. If it is desired to reverse the direction of operation of the pump, the operator simply turns the crank 50 in the reverse direction, with the result that at the first turn the pin will enter the expanded throat between springs 85, 86, causing the valve plug 65 to be rocked into its reversed position for opening up communication between the container and the reverse side of the rotary pump.

I claim: I

1. In an extinguisher, the combination of a fluid container, a. pump casing, a reversible rotary pump operating in said casing, means communicating between said pump casing and the container, a discharge nozzle and valved passage ways leading from opposite sides of said casing to said discharge nozzle.

2. In an extinguisher, the combination of a liquid container, a discharge nozzle, a reversible rotary pump arranged between said container and said discharge nozzle, valved discharge passage ways leading from opposite sides of said pump to said nozzle, means communicating between opposite sides of said pump and the container, a valve controlling the communications between the pump and container 1d pump operating means adapted to up; said valve.

3. In an extinguisher, the combination of a liquid container, a discharge nozzle, a ro tary pump forming communication between the container and discharge nozzle, means for operating said pump and a valve opened and closed by said pump operating means and controlling the communication between the pump and container.

t. In an extinguisher, the combination of a liquid container, a discharge nozzle, areversible rotary pump arranged between the container and discharge nozzle, inlet and cation with the container. a reversible valve controlling said two-way communication be tween the container and pump, a valve between the pump and nozzle and means actuated by the reversal of said pump for operating said reversible valve.

6. In an extinguisher, the combination of a liquid container, a reversible rotary pump having a discharge nozzle, passageways communicating between the pump and the container, a twoiway reversible valve controlling the passageways between the container and pump, a pump operating crank, and means actuated by the reversal of said crank for operating said valve.

7. In an extinguisher, the combination of a liquid container, a pump chamber, a discharge nozzle, a reversible rotary pump in said chamber, valved passage ways leading from opposite sides of said chamber to said nozzle, passageways leading from said container to the opposite sides of said chamber, a two-way valve controlling said container passageways.

8. In an extinguisher, the combination of a liquid container, a pump casing communicating with said container, a discharge noz- Zle leading from said pump casing, a rotary pump operating in said casing, a crank for operating said pump, a valve controlling the communication between the container and pump casing, and operating means between the crank and valve.

9. In an extinguisher, the combination of a liquid container, a pump casing communicating with said container, a discharge nozzle leading respectively from said pump cas ing, a rotary pump operating in said casing, a crank for operating said pump, a rotary valve, between the pump casing and container, operating upon an axis approximately parallel to the axis of rotation of said crank, an arm projecting from said valve approxin'iately parallel With said crank, and a pin carried by said crank adapted to engage said valve arm.

10. In an extinguisher, the combination of a liquid container, a, pump casing communicating with said container, a discharge nozzle leading from said pump casing, a rotary pump operating in said casing, a crank for operating said pump, a valve between the pump casing and container, a spring arm mounted upon said valve, and a pin or lug carried by said crank and adapted to engage said spring arm for operating said valve.

11. In an extinguisher, the combination of a liquid container, a pump casing communicating with said container, a discharge non-- zle leading from said pump casing, a rotary pump operating in said casing, a crank for operating said pump, a valve between said pump casing and container, a pair of spaced spring arms mounted upon said valve and projecting approximately parallel to said crank, and a pin carried by said crank adapted to rest between said spring arms for holding the valve in closed position and for turning the valve in either direction, de-

pending upon the direction of rotation of the crank.

12. In an extinguisher, the combination of a liquid container, a pump casing communicating with said container, a discharge nozzle leading from. said pump casing, a rotary pump operating in said casing, a crank for operating said pump, a valve arranged between the pump casing and container, a pair of spaced spring arms secured upon said valve and formed with oppositely curved outer ends, said spring arms being located approximately parallel to said crank, and a pin carried by said crank adapted to engage said spring arms for operating said valve.

13. In an extinguisher, the combination of a liquid container having an vent inlet, a pump casing communicatin with said container, a discharge nozzle for said pump casing, a rotary pump ope .i said ea. ing, a crank for operating pump, a retary valve controllin the t mmunication between the casing and container and the vent opening into the eontainer, and operating means between the crank and valve.

HARE Y M. lrit TASL vN. 

